National team duties brings opportunities for Dynamo's reserves

After being called up to the U.S. national team, Brad Davis will be unavailable for the Dynamo against the Whitecaps.

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Tonight: Dynamo vs. Vancouver

When/where: 7:30 p.m.; BBVA Compass Stadium.

TV/radio: CSNH; 1560 AM, 850 AM (Spanish).

Dynamo (1-1-0) update: F Omar Cummings, who had knee surgery early in preseason, appears set to make his 2013 debut. "It's coming along," Cummings said. "It's a point now where you're kind of itching for a game, for some playing time. You want to get on the field." … F Will Bruin, who led the team in scoring last year with 12 goals and four in the playoffs, will be a game-time decision as he recovers from the left hamstring injury he suffered last week. "He's getting better and it looks like he can be a game-time decision tomorrow," coach Dominic Kinnear said. … MF Brad Davis (U.S.), MF Boniek Garcia (Honduras) and CB Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica) are away with their national teams for CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers. … The Dynamo have a 32-game home unbeaten streak dating to June 2011, when they lost to Columbus.

Whitecaps (2-0-0) update: They are tied atop the Western Conference. The Whitecaps are 2-1 against the Dynamo, but 0-1 in Houston, where they lost 3-1 at Robertson Stadium in 2011. … Japanese midfielder Daigo Kobayashi leads Vancouver with one goal and one assist.

Davis' stint with the national team leaves the Dynamo without a major weapon Saturday night against the Vancouver Whitecaps at BBVA Compass Stadium. Nonetheless, Kinnear all but packed Davis' bags for the U.S. team's World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica on Friday and Mexico on Tuesday.

"I say great," Kinnear said. "You can have as many of our players as you want and need. They'll always be available. It's a great opportunity for them.

"If our national team needs them, we're more than happy to be of assistance because in the end if the United States qualifies for the World Cup everybody in U.S. Soccer progresses. And you never want to stand in the away of the progress of American soccer."

Davis, 31, who got a late call-up to the national team Tuesday, was the third Dynamo player called up to his respective qualifier for CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.

Midfielder Boniek Garcia, who helped Honduras open the final round of qualifying with a victory over Davis and the U.S. last month, joined his nation's squad. Center back Jermaine Taylor, who played in Jamaica's tie with Mexico at Azteca Stadium last month, was brought up again.

Davis and Garcia, who was voted the team's most valuable player by his teammates last season, are among the top players in Major League Soccer. Taylor has become of the league's top defenders.

In their absence, the Dynamo will need backups to step up against Vancouver.

"It's an opportunity for guys who haven't been starting to step in and make a difference," player-coach Brian Ching said. "That's one thing in the past that has always been a strength of our team.

"Guys have always stepped up to the occasion. This weekend we have a good team coming in that's confident off of two wins and (has) some good players. We're missing four of our starters possibly."

The roster also could be tested if 2012 leading scorer Will Bruin isn't recovered from the left hamstring strain he suffered in the second half against FC Dallas on Sunay.

"Right now it's literally a toss-up," Bruin said. "I have to see how I react tomorrow. Trying to get back, but I got to be smart. It's only Week 3. It's a long season, so I'm just trying to push it but not push it too much."